Did Kate Middleton wear her tiara all wrong? Expert reveals why the royal put glittering accessories on her hair instead of the forehead

The Princess of Wales chose a 100-year-old tiara last night at the extravagant state banquet welcoming South Korea’s president and first lady to Britain.

Although this was the first time Kate, 41, had worn the dazzling Strathmore Rose Tiara, it was previously seen on the Queen Mother almost a century ago.

Interestingly, Kate removed the diamond floral design two inches from her hairline – in stark contrast to her husband’s great-grandmother, who wore the tiara across her forehead in 1923.

FEMAIL asked Carol Woolton, author and podcaster of If Jewels Could Talk, what sparked this change, and she explained that a lot of it has to do with comfort.

“There’s a reason they were called the ‘family fender’ because they were heavy, headache-inducing material,” she explained.

Kate, along with her husband Prince William, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla, welcomed Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee to the glittering festivities last night.

The mother-of-three made a lasting impression when she arrived at Buckingham Palace wearing a Jenny Packham dress, Queen Elizabeth diamond earrings, her Family Order and GCVO sash and star.

But the royal family’s floral tiara, a gift from her parents to the Queen Mother in 1923, undoubtedly stole the show.

The Strathmore Rose Tiara was given to Elizabeth, then the Duchess of York, in 1923 as a wedding gift from her parents.

Josie Goodbody, author and jewelry editor, told FEMAIL that in the 1920s the bandeau was the most fashionable way to wear a head ornament.

“The photos of the Duchess of York wearing this beautiful diamond-set floral tiara show her wearing it low on her forehead as a bandeau,” she said.

‘It would have been slightly modified at the time to allow the new Duchess to wear it fashionably and to complement her close-cropped hairstyle – which was known as ‘à la garçonne’ and originated in Paris by Gabrielle Chanel. Lady Elizabeth was also a Chanel customer in the 1920s.’

The Queen Mother’s parents bought her the impressive Strathmore Rose Tiara as a wedding gift in 1923

Jewels for the Duke’s Bride: Royal and other wedding gifts given to the Duke and Duchess of York in 1923

The princess at a state banquet for Chinese President Xi Jinping at Buckingham Palace in 2015 (right). Elizabeth, Duchess of York, also owned the Lotus Flower Tiara (pictured left in 1923) and wore it as a bandeau

The floral diamond design was purchased from London dealer Catchpole & Williams. The diamond flowers were probably made in the late nineteenth century and can be removed and worn as brooches.

‘The bandeaux were often made with Art Deco characteristics, such as being more geometric, with honeycomb and diamond motifs, symmetrical settings of large round roses, as seen in the Strathmore, and lotus flowers, seen in the Lotus Flower Tiara,’ explained Josie out.

Carol added: ‘It’s not without reason that they were called the ‘family fender’ because it was heavy, headache-inducing material, so I think members of the Royal Family should wear these heirlooms in a way that is comfortable for them.

“It shows that beautiful antique jewelry stands the test of time and is worn in new ways through the generations.”

The Strathmore Rose Tiara can be worn on the head or as a bandeau over the forehead, as the then Duchess of York chose to do. But the delicate floral design had been in Windsor’s vaults for years.

The decision to reintroduce this piece is significant as Kate has only worn three tiaras since joining the royal family 12 years ago.

The mother of three has worn the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara on a number of occasions. Meanwhile, she chose the Cartier Halo Tiara for her wedding day and wore the Lotus Flower Tiara for two diplomatic receptions, as well as the Chinese State Banquet in 2015.

The Princess of Wales also prefers to wear the Lotus Flower Tiara in a different way than its original owner, the Queen Mother.

The Lotus Flower Tiara was created by Garrard in 1925 from a diamond and pearl necklace that Elizabeth received for her wedding in 1923 – from her husband, the future George VI.

Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing an emerald necklace as a headband in Melbourne, Australia, in 1985

After receiving the necklace, Elizabeth asked Gerrard to disassemble it and use the diamonds and pearls to make a tiara instead.

She exhibited the recovered tiara in a series of portraits widely distributed to mark the 1937 coronation. Once again it was shown low on her forehead, unlike Kate, who wore it on top of her head.

‘Bandaux are also cleverly made so that they can be easily disassembled and reused as clothing clips, brooches, bracelets and chokers for different occasions, and then reassembled.’ Josie explained.

‘Although tiaras, which were once worn as a bandeau, are now more often worn higher on the head.

‘Princess Diana famously turned Queen Mary’s 1920s Art Deco Emerald and Diamond Choker into a bandeau during the 1985 Royal Tour of Australia, bringing a 60-year-old trend back to the forefront of fashion.’

King Charles, who now controls the royal jewelery collection, will have given Kate permission to wear the Strathmore Rose Tiara last night.

He is known to have been close to his grandmother – and is very fond of Kate. Earlier this month, Charles called the princess his “beloved daughter-in-law” during a speech in Kenya.